In the past, the most common demolition tool used was the hand-held pneumatic jackhammer. This type of jackhammer is a back-breaking, noisy implement, and is not suitable for larger jobs. Eventually, heavier pneumatic jackhammers were developed and mounted upon articulated-arm backhoes and other vehicles.
For heavy concrete work or large demolition projects, hydraulic splitters are also frequently employed and operate based on the expanding wedge principal. Such splitters require pre-drilled holes. This means that to accomplish a splitting job additional equipment is required to perform the splitting function besides the splitter. If the job also involves breaking up a work piece, a jackhammer type device is also needed. Of course, each piece of equipment often requires its own operator.
As such, there exists a need for a single device which can perform much like a jackhammer but yet provide the ability to operate as a splitter without requiring pre-drilled holes or additional equipment. It is desirable that the device be mountable on a vehicle so that it can be carried and positioned with ease, but it should not have the drawback of prior art devices mounted on vehicles which require frequent movement of the vehicle in order to appropriately position the working head of the tool used.
The basic device should also be usable in a modified version as a mining tool and provide superior work performance. Preferably, the device when used for mining, should reduce the size of vehicle required, thus allowing a less expensive and more maneuverable vehicle to be used in the mine.
Also, the device should use a tool which is easily and quickly interchangeable, but yet is securely held in the device.
The present invention fulfills these needs and further provides other related advantages.